Panther Family Tree


Aloys Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 21 Jun 1837 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He died on 6 Jun 1908 in Mount Pleasant, Henry, Iowa. He was buried in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa. He married Elizabeth Julia Donzinger on 22 Oct 1877 in Kingstown, Des Moines, Iowa.

Other marriages:
Hanle, Monika

Aloysius came to America on the steam ship Hannover.

The steamship Hannover, the first of four vessels of this name owned by Norddeutscher Lloyd, was built by Caird and Co., Greenock, Scotland (yard #152), and was launched on 28 July 1869. 2571 tons; 94.83 X 12.05 meters; clipper bow, 1 funnel, 2 masts; iron construction, screw propulsion, single-expansion, low-pressure engine, 930 hp, service speed 10 knots; accommodation for 62 passengers in 1st class and 700 in steerage; crew of 61 to 79.

The Hannover was intended for Norddeutscher Lloyd's New Orleans service
October 1869, maiden voyage, Bremen-New Orleans
19 May 1870, first voyage, Bream-New York
23 July-27 October 1870, laid up at New York during the Franco-Prussian War
1871-1874 primarily New Orleans service, but 4 round-trip voyages Bream-New York and 4 round-trip voyates Bremen-West Indies. Then engaged as needed on all North Atlantic services
15 July 1880, last voyage, Bremen-New York
1880-81, compound engine by A.G. Vulcan, Stettin; 1275 hp, service speed 11-12 knots, 25 July 1881, first voyage, Bremen-South America
12 October 1881, last voyage, Bremen-Baltimore; subsequently exclusively Bremen-South America
10 December 1886, off the coast of Spain, rescued the 13-man crew of the sunken British steamer Ethel Wolf
5 June 1894, sold to La Spezia for scrap; renamed Tito for the voyage out.

Sources: Arnold Kludas, Die Seeschiffe des Norddeutschen Lloyd, Bd. 1: 1857 bis 1919 (Herford: Koehler, c1991), p. 20; Edwin Drechsel, Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen, 1857-1970; History, Fleet, Ship Mails, vol. 1 (Vancouver: Cordillera Pub. Co., c1994), p. 52, no. 26; Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 2 (1978), p. 547.

Baden Baden Germany is near the Black Forest and close to the French border. His parents were of German and French ancestry (Alsatian).

They immigrated to the United States, sailing on the SS Hannover from Breman, Germany. They left their village of Mösbach September 14, 1872 and arrived October 12, 1872 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Master of the ship had the last name of Himbeck. Alois, Monika and Maurice were passenger number 606, 607 & 608. There were 725 passengers listed. Four died during the voyage. There were 380 Germans, 103 Americans, 132 Austrians, 68 French, 27 Swiss and 19 Alsatian. At the time of the voyage, Aloysius was 35 years old, Monika 30 and Maurice 3.

They lived in New Orleans for one year. During this time, their second child, Frank, was born. They came to Des Moines County via the Mississippi and settled in the Sperry-Dodgeville area, probably near his brother Ferdinand. Their third son, Joseph was born there.

After Monika's death, he married Elizabeth Dunzinger.

Alois and Elizabeth were farmers. They were very active in their faith and attended St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dodgeville faithfully. They raised their children to love and serve their God and care for their neighbors. Many of their children sang in the choir and their daughter Veronica played the organ. The boys were among the parishioners that helped to build the new church in 1901.

After Aloysius passed away May 5, 1908, Elizabeth made her home with her daughter, Mary Ann, in Dodgeville.

From http://www.brumm.com/familytrees/21695.htm:

Noted events in his life were:

• Census, 1880, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. Name, Relation, Marital Status, Gender, Race, Age, Birthplace, Occupation, Father's Birthplace, Mother's Birthplace

Aaron PONDER, Self, M, Male, W, 42, BADEN, Farmer, BADEN, BADEN
Elisabeth PONDER, Wife, M, Female, W, 26, NY, Keeping House, BIAN, BIAN
Morris PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 10, BADEN, , BADEN, BADEN
Frank PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 7, LA, , BADEN, BADEN
Joseph PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 5, IA, , BADEN, BADEN
Lenard PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 1, IA, , BADEN, BADEN

• Census, 1895, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. 2 Frank Panther, age 21, born in New Orleans Louisiana, white
Alvis Panther, age 59, born in Germany, white
Elizabeth Panther, age 40, born in New York, white
Lenard Panther, age 16, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Alvin Panther, age 14, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Mary Panther, age 12, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Annie Panther, age 10, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Edward Panther, age 8, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
George Panther, age 6, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Benedict Panther, age 2, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white

LDS shows his death date as June 6, 1908

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa

The website for the music organization of Mosbach, Baden, Germany:
http://www.musikverein-moesbach.de/?Chronik:Wie_alles_begann...
lists the following entry:

25. Mai 1861: offiziellen Gründung einer Blasmusik
Unter der Führung des Schreiners Wendelin Bürck schlossen sich die Bläser Andreas Bürk, August Traub, Blasius Bürk, Christian Bohnert, Gabriel Schott, Moritz Weber, Konrad Rummel, Fabian Streck, Alexander Sutterer, Alois Panther, Daniel Bürk, Wendelin Bürk und Anton Klumpp zusammen.

Translated from the original German:

25. May 1861: the official establishment of a brass band
Under the leadership of the carpenter Wendelin Bürck joined the horns Andreas Bürk, August Traub, Blasius Bürk, Christian Bohnert, Gabriel Schott, Moritz Weber, Konrad Rummel, Fabian Stretch, Alexander Sutter, Alois Panther, Daniel Bürk, Wendelin Bürk and Anton Klumpp together.

Elizabeth Julia Donzinger [scrapbook] was born on 12 Apr 1854 in New York,, New York. She died on 24 Dec 1929 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She was buried on 26 Dec 1929 in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa. She married Aloys Panther on 22 Oct 1877 in Kingstown, Des Moines, Iowa.

Elizabeth was born in Kingston or New York, New York. After the death of her parents, she traveled with her grandparents to Burlington Iowa. Here she was employed by relatives at the Wagner Boarding House which was located on the corner where later was built the Delano Hotel, which was later renamed the Hawkeye Hotel.

Some sources date her birth as Aug 12, 1856. Her obituary lists her birth date as April 12, 1854.

She appeared on the census in 1880 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Elisabeth Ponder, Wife, M, Female, W, 26, NY, Keeping House, BIAN, BIAN

She appeared on the census in 1895 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Elizabeth Panther, age 40, born in New York, white

Elizabeth lived with her daughter, Mary Ann, in Dodgeville, after Alois' death.

Maiden name listed as Duncenger in her son Leonard's obituary.

From an email from Alison Winnike to Matt Miller:
According to "Panthers in America " she came to Burlington from New York with her grandparents after the death of her parents. This must have happened before 1870 since she’s listed as Lizzie Daninger, servant in the Charles Wagner boarding house in that year.

Buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines county, Iowa.

They had the following children:

  M i Leonard Joseph Panther was born on 17 Jul 1878. He died on 11 Jan 1974.
  M ii Alvin Aloysius Panther [scrapbook] was born on 8 Jul 1880 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa. He was christened on 18 Jul 1880 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa. He died on 18 Mar 1965 in Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa. He was buried on 20 Mar 1965 in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa.

Settled in Dodgeville Iowa

He appeared on the census in 1895 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The informatin listed was: Alvin Panther, age 14, born in Des Moines County, Iowa, white

He lived at home and helped his father on the farm. After his father died when he was 28 years old, he remained at home and took care of the farm for his mother and the younger children. After his brother Ed got married and moved to Saint Paul, he would go and stay with the family during farming season and help with the farming and chores. Alvin drank lots of coffee and Kathryn, Ed's wife, was to keep the coffee on the back of the stove and keep it hot. He enjoyed caring for the horses and had a special knack for the task.

Alvin had a stroke when he was about 50 years old. He went to make his home with his sister Mary Ann Vorwerk whose husband had died 10 years earlier. He helped Mary with the chores, milked Bessie the cow, fed teh chickens and helped Loyola mow the yard. He would walk down to the Dodgeville Store to the get mail and visit with the local men.

A lot of the grandchildren that came to visit Grandma remember Alvin as having a grumpy disposition. If you left a door open he would holler, "shut the door" and he really didn't like it when they would climb over the gate instead of going through it to go out to the back house.

He always smoked a pipe. When Christmas came, he wouldn't even open his gifts. He'd just set them on the steps because he knew that it was pipe tobacco.

After Mary's death in 1961 he resided in a home for the aged in Burlington where he died.

Alvin never married

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa
  F iii Mary Ann Panther was born on 9 Sep 1882. She died on 26 Feb 1961.
  F iv Anna Margaret Panther was born on 9 Feb 1885. She died on 5 Oct 1967.
  M v Edward James Panther was born on 30 Jan 1887. He died on 8 Mar 1966.
  M vi George Henry Panther was born on 21 Apr 1889. He died on 19 Jun 1941.
  M vii Benedict Panther was born on 1 Oct 1892. He died on 15 Dec 1965.
  F viii Veronica Monica Panther [scrapbook] was born on 7 Mar 1895 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She was christened on 17 Mar 1895 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She died on 10 Aug 1962 in Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa. She was buried on 14 Aug 1962 in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa.

From the Panther Reunion book 2001:
Never married. Family members remember her freckles and deep robust chuckle and buxom appearance. In addition to helping with many tasks at St. Mary's in Dodgeville, she also served as organist. It is written in the 150th memorial book for St. Mary's Dodgeville: "The choir at St. Mary's has always played a very important part in the liturgy of the Mass at Dodgeville. We have been very fortunate to have very talented and professional participants, which have praised God in song, over the 150 years. Our earliest account of the performance of the choir was in the 1917 West Burlington Dedication Souvenir Booklet...' The Dodgeville choir assisted the home choir in rendering sacred music and song at the occasion.' The choir again made the news, in July of 1931, in an article telling of the dedication of the new church... Quote: "The parish choir under the direction of Mrs. Hans Japsen with Miss Veronica Panther at the organ were in charge of the musical program." The present day choir still remembers singing under her direction.
She was a practical nurse and mid-wife in northern Des Moines County. When babies were due in her brothers' families Ben and Ed in Lee County, she would assist in the deliveries. In fact, the Ben Panther kids soon learned that when Aunt Veronica arrived for a visit they would no doubt have another baby in the family. Loretta Panther Blind recalls, Veronica was her Godmother. She had a good sense of humor and when she laughed her whole body shook. She would come to our house under the pretense of sewing for us. It so happened, that often times when she was at our house, we little ones were hustled to Grandma Menke's and when Dad came to take us home again, we returned to find Mom in bed with a new baby. We kids didn't know anything about that mid-wifery business.
In later years she worked for the Walter Rheinschmidt family as nanny and housekeeper. She also cared for Walter's invalid mother. Larry Reheinshcmidt and his brothers Lloyd and Jim wre raised by "Saint Veronica". Walter Rheinschmidt died in 1950. His wife went to work in the family Rheinschmidt flooring business. Veronica stayed to help raise thf family. Larry was asked by Carol Panther Fullenkamp if Veronica Panther had been ah housekeeper for his mother. Larry said, "Housekeeper! She was family. She was a saint." During this time she remained faithful to her services as organist at St. Mary's in Dodgeville. She would ride the bus from Burlington to the Dodgeville lane. From there she would walk to church to play a funeral, wedding or Sunday service often without any renumeration. In later years, when the boys got their drivers licenses, the Rheinschmidt family would bring her to church. Larry remembers bringing her out every Wednesday night for choir practice and on the weekend for Mass. Jim Rheinschmidt had very fond memories of her when we visited with him, since he was the youngest in in her care the longest. Jim was six years old when his father died. He always considered himself to be so fortunate to have two "Moms", one at work and one at home. "Veronica did a wonderful job raising us. She taught me to be fair and to always accomplish what I set out to do." Jim also remembers Veronica as being a great baker, especially her coffee cakes and cinnmon rolls. He has since become a great connoiseur of cinnamon rolls as his travels have taken him all over the world. He has been searching for rolls like Veronica's. So far, he says, he has not found any to match hers. Even though she never married she had a special family and children to lvoe her.
She was devoted to her church work form an early age until her death from a heart attack at the age of 67 in Burlington. At her funeral, the priest said that many many people around Dodgeville owed their lives to this lady. All the good works of this woman brought the ire of her brother Ben when her meager estate was billed for music for her funeral. This seemed unjest since she so many times was called upon to play the organ for funerals and he knew also that many times she received no pay for her services.

Alois' daughter Veronica always teased that she received all her reserve pride from her French grandmother.

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa

Obituary:

Veronica Panther
Miss Veronica Monica Panther, 67, 1818 Osborne, died Friday at the home of Mrs. Erma Rheinschmidt where she had been living the past 22 years.

She was born March 7, 1895, at Dodgeville, the daughter of Alois and Elizabeth Dunzinger Panther.

She was a practical nurse, a member of St. Marys Catholic church of Dodgeville, the Altar and Rose Society and the Third Order of St. Francis at Dodgeville.

Surviving are five brothers, Frank, Mt. Pleasant, Leonard, Davenport, Alvin,Burlington, Edward, Cedar Falls and Ben, West Point; one sister, Mrs. Anna Vorwerk, Burlington.

Services will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. in St. Marys Catholic church at Dodgeville. The Rev. Father E. J. Shepherd will officiate. Burial will be in St. Marys cemetery. The rosary will be recited at the Elliot-Lunning chapel Monday at 8 p.m. Friends may call at the chapel Sunday and Monday p.m.

Benedict Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 1 Oct 1892 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. He was christened on 11 Oct 1892 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. He died on 15 Dec 1965 in West Point, Lee, Iowa. He was buried in West Point, Lee, Iowa. He married Elizabeth Johanna Cecelia Menke on 23 Feb 1916 in St. Paul, Lee, Iowa.

From the Panther Reunion book 2001:
Ben attended school through the sixth grade. On reaching adulthood he moved to the St. Paul, Iowa area where he worked as a farmhand for Henry Holtkamp. While in the area he met and courted Elizabeth Menke. They were married in St. James Church on February 23, 1916.

Ben and Elizabeth set up housekeeping in what is now the Leo Bentler home. At this time Ben worked for Theodore Dingman.

In 1918 Ben bought the farm on Highway 218 from his brother Frank. After farming it a short time he had the opportunity to sell the farm. He then bought the Leonard Boeding farm on Highway 103. Unfortunately, the buyer of the forementioned farm backed out of the deal and Ben ended up with two farms that proved to be too much for him to handle. He farmed the farm on Hwy 218 and his father-in-law took possession of the Boeding farm. During the 1929 depression many farmers lost their farms and Ben was no exception. He then rented the land until he was able to repurchase it some years later.

Ben was a "good steward of the earth". He worked diligently and practiced the altest trends in soil conservation. The farm served teh Panther family well. Nine more children were born and raised in the big white house which is still in the family today.

After World War II, Albert and Gene worked the farm with their father. Later Gene took a job in Muscatine, Iowa and Urban returned from North Dakota to join his father and Albert in the farming occupation. Ben bought another farm near the home place.

Ben and Elizabeth retired in the 1950's and moved to West Point, Iowa. He later sold the farms to his two sons, the home place to Urban and the other farm to Albert.

Urban and Bertha Panther lived and farmed at the home place until they retired and moved in to West Point to live in an apartment. Their son and his family lives on the farm now.

In his retirement Ben kept active helping around the St. Mary Parish Plant. He also served a term as Justice of the Peace in the town. This caused a lot of discussion among the townspeople how a Catholic would fill a civil servant's position. In fact, his grandson Kenny (Albert Panther's son) was stopped and ticketed by police for spinning his wheels. He appeared before his grandfather and was fined appropriately.

He appeared on the census in 1895 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Benedict Panther, age 2, born in Des Moines County, Iowa, white

He appeared on the census in 1910 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: (Living with his brother, Leonard Panther) Ben Panther, brother, male, white, age 17, single, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, spoke German, mother born in Germany, spoke German, spoke English, occupation farm Laborer, industry working out, wage earner, not unemployed at time of census, ? weeks out of work during the previous year, could read, could write, attended school during the previous year

His Social Security information was: Ben Panther; born: 1 October 1892; died: December 1965; last residence: (Iowa); state where issued: Iowa

Obituary:

Dec 15, 1965
Ben Panther, 73, West Point Iowa died at 9PM Wednesday in Sacred Heart Hospital, Fort Madison. He had been ill for some time.
Mr. Panther was born Oct. 1, 1892, at Dodgeville, IA. He spent most of his life in the Houghton-West Point area. He was a retired farmer.
On Feb. 23, 1916, in St. James Catholic church, St. Paul, he married Elizabeth Menke, who survives. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, West Point, the Holy Name Society and the West Point council of Knights of Columbus.
Besides his wife, he is survived by three sons, Urban Panther, Donnellson, Albert Panther, West Point, Eugene Panther, Muscatine; six daughters, Mrs. Joseph (Mary) Winnike, Mrs. Robert (Loretta) Blind and Mrs. Ronald (Carol) Fullenkamp, all of West Point, Mrs. Elmer (Rita) Steffensmeier of Mrs. A.T. (Martha) Dohman both of Fort Madison and Mrs. John A. (Agnes) Miller Columbus Neb; two brothers Leonard Panther, Davenport and E.J. Panther, Cedar Falls, one sister, Mrs. Anna Vorwerk, Muscatine and 54 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, five brothers and two sisters.
Funeral services will be at 10AM Saturday in St. Mary's church West Point. Msgr. J.A. Wagner will officate. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery. The body is at the Link Funeral Home were the rosary will be recited at 8PM today and at 8PM Friday by the parish followed by rosaries by the Knights of Columbus and the Holy Name Society.

Buried in Calvary Cemetery, West Point, Iowa

Elizabeth Johanna Cecelia Menke [scrapbook] was born on 22 Nov 1893 in St. Paul, Lee, Iowa. She died on 24 Apr 1986 in West Point, Lee, Iowa. The cause of death was Cancer. She was buried in West Point, Lee, Iowa. She married Benedict Panther on 23 Feb 1916 in St. Paul, Lee, Iowa.

Her Social Security information was: Elizabeth Panther; born: 22 November 1893; died: April 1986; last residence: 52656 (West Point, Lee, IA); last benefit: (none specified); state where issued: Iowa

Obituary:

April 23, 1986

Elizabeth Panther, 92, West Point (IA) died at 8:30 PM Wednesday April 23, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joe (Mary) Winnike, West Point.
Mrs. Panther was born Nov 22, 1893 at St. Paul (IA) and was a lifelong resident of the St. Paul-West Point area. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic church of West Point, the Alter and Rosary Society, the Daughters of Isabella, the West Point Senior Citizens and the West Point Garden Club.
On Feb. 23, 1916 at St. James Church St. Paul, she was married to Benedict Panther, who died Dec. 15, 1965.
Surviving are two sons, Urban Panther, Donnellson, and Eugene Panther, Muscatine; five other daughters Mrs. Robert (Loretta) Blind, Mrs. A.T. (Martha) Dohman and Mrs. Ronald (Carol) Fullenkamp, all of West Point. Mrs. Elmer (Rita) Steffensmeier, Fort Madison and Mrs. John (Agnes) Miller Columbus, Neb; 66 grandchildren and 57 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sons. The last of her family, she was also preceded in death by four brothers and a sister. Her parents were August and Mary Harmeyer Menke.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 AM Saturday at St. Mary's church in West Point. The Rev. Gerald Stouvenal will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, West Point.
The body is at the Link Funeral Home, West Point, where the combined rosary by the Alter and Rosary Society will be recited at 3PM Friday and where the Christian Wake Service will be conducted at 7:30 PM Friday.
A Memorial is being established with St. Mary's Church.

She was buried in Calvary Cemetery, West Point, Iowa


Moriz Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 21 Sep 1803 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He died on 12 Jul 1847 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He was buried on 14 Jul 1847 in Ulm, Baden, Germany. He married Elizabeth Birk on 14 May 1831 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany.

Elizabeth Birk [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 13 Nov 1805 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. She died on 16 May 1871 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. She was buried on 18 May 1871 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. She married Moriz Panther on 14 May 1831 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany.

Other marriages:
Panther, Franz Anton

They had the following children:

  M i Ferdinand Panther was born on 20 Apr 1833. He died on 12 Nov 1915.
  M ii Phillip Panther was born on 28 Apr 1834. He died on 19 Mar 1920.
  F iii Maria Anna Panther [scrapbook] was born on 26 Jun 1835 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. She was christened on 26 Jun 1835 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany.
  M iv Aloys Panther was born on 21 Jun 1837. He died on 6 Jun 1908.
  M v Michael Panther [scrapbook] was born on 22 Sep 1841 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He was christened on 23 Sep 1841 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He died on 10 Jan 1844 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He was buried on 13 Jan 1844 in Ulm, Baden, Germany.
  M vi Moriz Panther [scrapbook] was born on 4 Sep 1844 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He was christened on 4 Sep 1844 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He died on 1 Aug 1866 in Hundheim, Baden, Germany. He was buried on 3 Aug 1866 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany.

Member of the Fifth Infantry Regiment, 8th company. He died in battle near Hundheim, Germany during the Austro-Prussian war of 1866.

Leonard Joseph Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 17 Jul 1878 in Kingston,, Iowa. He died on 11 Jan 1974 in Davenport,, Iowa. He was buried on 14 Jan 1974 in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa. He married Bertha Elizabeth Vorwerk on 29 Jan 1908 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa.

From the Panther Reunion Book 2001:
Family stories tell of him growing up in Dodgeville. Leonard and his brother Ben played on the dirt piles while the men of the parish in Dodgeville worked building the church in 1901. His dad would tell them to help with the building as they would never get to build another church. Leonard would take his sister, Veronica, for visits in Lee County. He was also a Cubs fan.

Obituary:

Leonard Panther
Davenport - Leonard Panther, 95, of Davenport, a Kingston native, died Friday morning, Jan 11, at the Kahl Home for the Aged here.
He was born July 17, 1878, in Kingston, the son of Alphonsus and Elizabeth Duncenger Panther. He married Bertha Vorwerk in dodgeville Jan 29, 1908; she died April 15, 1943. He was a retired farmer and had worked at the Pauli Florist shop in Davenport.
Surviving: Two daughters, Mrs. Charles Grabbe, Davenport, and Mrs. Allen Estille, Jessup, five sons, Ervin, Rick Island Ill, William, Houston Tex., Paul, Burlington, Howard, West Branch, and Louis, Rockford, Ill; and 21 grandchildren.
Funeral: 11:30 a.m. Monday, St. Mary Catholic church, Dodgeville; St. Mary cemetery. The body will remain at the Halligan-McCabe funeral home in Davenport until Monday. Rosary: 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Leonard Panther, 95, of Davenport, a Kingston native, died on a Friday morning, Jan 11, 1974 at the Kahl Home of the Aged in Davenport.
The funeral was held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday Jan 14th at St. Mary Catholic church, Dodgeville; burial was in St. Mary cemetery. The body remained at the Halligan-McCabe funeral home in Davenport until Monday. The Rosary was said at 8 p.m. at the funeral home.


He appeared on the census in 1880 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information lsited was: Lenard PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 1, IA,,BADEN BADEN

He appeared on the census in 1900 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: In the household of Theodore and Bernadine Beckman, servant, white, male, birthdate: July 1878, 21 years old, single,

He was listed in a city directory from 1902 to 1903, in Des Moines County, Iowa. The listing was: (Part of the Burlington City Directory:) Leonard Panther, Franklin Township, (post office) Sperry

He was listed in a city directory from 1908 to 1909, in Des Moines County, Iowa. The listing was: Leonard Panther, Franklin Township, (post office) Sperry Rural Route 2.

He appeared on the census in 1910 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed as: Line 93, Dwelling 105, Family 105: Leonard Panther, head of household, male, white, age 31, married once, married for 2 years, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, spoke German, mother born in Germany, spoke German, spoke English, occupation farmer, industry general farming, employer, could read, could write, rented his home, a farm, farm #88 in schedule

Bertha E. Panther, wife, female, white, age 23, married once, married for 2 years, 1 child born, 1 living, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, spoke German, mother born in Germany, spoke German, spoke English, no occupation, could read, could write

William J. Panther, son, male, white, age 19, single, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, no occupation, attended school during the previous year

Ben Panther, brother, male, white, age 17, single, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, spoke German, mother born in Germany, spoke German, spoke English, occupation farm laborer, industry working out, wage earner, not unemployed at time of census, ? weeks out of work during the previous year, could read, could write, attended school during the previous year.

He was listed in a city directory in 1912, in Des Moines County, Iowa, The listing was: Leonard Panther, Franklin Township, (post office) Sperry rural route 2.

He was listed in a city directory from 1916 to 1917, in Des Moines County, Iowa, The listing was: Benton Township, (post office) Sperry, rural route 2.

He appeard on the census in 1920 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Line 98, dwelling 129, Family 129: Leonard Panther, head of household, owned his home, male, white, age 41, married, could read, could write, born in Iowa, father born in Germany (spoke German), mother born in New York, could speak English, occupation farmer, industry st* farm

Bertha E. Panther, wife, female, white, age 33, married, could read, could write, born in Iowa, father born in Germany (spoke German), mother born in Iowa, could speak English, no occupation

William Panther, son, male, white, age 11, single, attended school during the previous year, could read, could write, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, could speak English, no occupation

Some of Leonard's children were listed on a second census image Line 1, 844 Dwelling 129, Family 129: Paul E. Panther, son, male, white, age 9, single, attended school during the previous year, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, no occupation

Charlotte Panther, daughter, femail, white, age 6, single, attended school during the previous year, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, no occupation

Howard Panther, son, male, white, age 5, single, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, no occupation

Ruth Panther, daughter, female, white, age 3 2/12, single, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, no occupation

He appeared on the census in 1930 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Line 73, Dwelling 88, Family 88: Leonard Panther, head of household, owned his home, owned a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, age 51, married, first married at age 29, did not attend school during the previous year, could read and write, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, mother born in Germany, state code 65, country code 13, nativity 0, could speak English, occupation farmer, industry general farming, code VVVV, wage earner, at work not unemployed, not a veteran

Bertha E. Panther, wife-H female, white, age 43, married, first married at age 21, did not attend school during the previous year, could read and write, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, mother born in Iowa, state code 65, country code 13, nativity 1, could speak English, no occupation

William J. Panther, son, male, white, age 21, single, did not attend school during the previous year, could read and write, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, state code 65, could speak English, occupation farm laborer, industry general farming, code VIVV, wage earner, at work not unemployed, not a veteran

Paul E. Panther, son, male, white, age 20, single, did not attend school during the previous year, could read and write, born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, state cod 65, could speak English, occupation farm laborer, industry general farming, code VIVV, wage earner, at work not unemployed

Ervin J. Panther, son, male, white, age 17, single, did not attend school during the previous year, could read and write, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, state code 65, could speak English, occupation farm laborer, industry general farming, code VIVV, wage earner, at work not unemployed

Howard J. Panther, son, male, white, age 16, single, attended school during the previous year, could read and write, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, state code 65, could speak English, no occupation

Ruth E. Panther, daughter, female, white, age 14, single, attended school during the previous year, could read and write, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, state code 65, could speak English, no occupation

Louis C. Panther, son, male, white, age 5, single, did not attend school during the previous year, born in Iowa, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, state code 65, no occupation

His social security information was: Leonard Panther; born: 17 July 1878, died: January 1974; state where issued: Iowa; death residence localities zip code: 61201; localities: Rock Island, Rock Island, Illinois.

He appeared on the census in 1895 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Lenard Panther, age 16, born in Des Moines County, Iowa, white

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa

Bertha Elizabeth Vorwerk [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 11 Oct 1886 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She died on 15 Apr 1944 in Milan,, Illinois. She was buried on 18 Apr 1944 in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa. She married Leonard Joseph Panther on 29 Jan 1908 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa.

Obituary:
Panther
Mrs. Bertha Panther, wife of Leonard Panther, died Saturday evening at her home in Milan, Ill., after a brief illness.
She was born in Dodgeville Oct 11, 1886 and was united in marriage with Leonard Panther Jan 29, 1908, at St. Mary's Catholic church, dodgeville. They resided on a farm there until 7 years ago when they moved to Milan.
Surviving are her husband; 5 sons and 2 daughters, William of Burlington, Ervin of Davenport, Pvt. Paul of Camp Blanding, Fla., Pfc Howard in England, Lewis at home, Mrs. Charlotte Whalen of Milan and Mrs. Ruth Rohmer, Burlington; 11 grandchildren; 3 brothers and one sister, Mrs. O R. Siefken of Sperry, N. W. Vorwerk and L. A. Vorwerk of Burlington, and John of Muscatine. Her parents, one brother and one sister are dead.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's church in Dodgeville. Burial will be in St. Mary's cemetery.

She appeared on the census in 1900 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Bertha Vorreck, daughter, white, female, born October 1886, age 13, single, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, mother born in Iowa, attended school during census year for 9 months, could read, could write, could speak English

She appeared on the census in 1910 in Franklin Township, Appanoose County, Iowa. The information listed was: Bertha E. Panther, wife, female, white, age 23, married once, married for 2 years, 1 child born, 1 living, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, spoke German, mother born in Germany, spoke German, spoke English, no occupation, could read, could write

She appeared on the census in 1920 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Bertha E. Panther, wife, female, white, age 33, married, could read, could write, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, mother born in Iowa, could speak English, no occupation

She appeared on the census in 1930 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Bertha E. Panther, wife-H, female, white, age 43, married, first married at age 21, did not attend school during the previous year, could read and write, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, mother born in Iowa, state code 65, country code 13, nativity 1, could speak English, no occupation


Theodore Nicholas Vorwerk [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 1 Jul 1879 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. He died on 31 Dec 1919 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. He was buried on 3 Jan 1920 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. He married Mary Ann Panther on 24 Oct 1906.

The 1900 census show he was born July 1, 1878

He appeared on the census in 1880 in Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Theordore VORWESK, son, male, W, 2, IA, GER, IA

He appeared on the census in 1900 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Theodore Vorreck, son, white, male, born July 1878, age 21, single, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, mother born in Iowa, occupation grocery clerk, number of months unemployed during year: 0, could read, could write, could speak English

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa

From the Panther Reunion Book 2001:
Theodore worked for his uncle, John T. Beckman, at the post office and mercantile store. In 1901 the postal service was moved to Sperry. In 1905 Theodore and his brother Lawrence bought the merchandise from his uncle and later they purchased the building. The building was later moved to its present site around 1918. It was moved in the winter and rolled down on logs. In the winter of 1919, he became ill with Tuberculosis and died December 31, 1919 at 41 years of age.

Mary Ann Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 9 Sep 1882 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She was christened on 19 Sep 1882 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She died on 26 Feb 1961 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She was buried in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She married Theodore Nicholas Vorwerk on 24 Oct 1906.

She appeared on the census in 1895 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Mary Panther, age 12, born in Des Moines County, Iowa, white

Obituary:
Death
Mrs. Mary Vorwerk
Mrs. Mary Ann Vorwerk, 78, Dodgeville, died at 8:45 a.m. Sunday at St. Francis hospital, where she had been a patient for six weeks.
A native of Dodgeville, she was born Sept 9, 1882 to Alois and Elizabeth Dunzinger Panther. She was married Oct 24, 1906, to Theodore M. Vorwerk, at Dodgeville. He died in 1919.
Mrs. Vorwerk was a member of St. Mary's Catholic church at Dodgeville and the Altar and Rosary society of the church.
Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Roederer, 1110 Challant; Mrs. Celestine Green, 1501 N. Eighth, and Mrs. Loyola Wilkerson, New London; three sons, Leonard, Beaverston, Ore.; Anthony, 1712 S. 16th, and Arthur, 1403 Mt. Pleasant; five brothers, Frank Panther, Mt. Pleasant; Leonard, Davenport; Alvin, Burlington; Edward, Cedar Falls, and Ben, West Point; Two sisters, Mrs. Anna Vorwerk, Muscatine, and Veronica Panther, 1818 Osborn; 22 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, a daughter died previously.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Catholic church, Dodgeville, preceded by family payers at 9:30 at teh Elliott-Lunning chapel. The rosary will be recited at the chapel at 8 o'clock tonight. Burial will be in St. Mary's cemetery, Dodgeville.

From the Panther Reunion 2001 book:
written by Anita Wilkerson Vantiger, granddaughter of Mary Ann Panther Vorwerk
She attended school in the local Dodgeville School and was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. As a young lady she worked as a hired girl for the Horace Miller family helping with their wash and other household duties.
She fell in love an dmarried Theodore Vorwerk, first child of Frank and Mary (Beckman) Vorwerk, October 24, 1906. She was 24 years of age and he was 28. They lived down the street that was dalled Gold Street that was east and north of the church and the family would walk to church together. They were the first to live in the big two story house and Mary remained there until her death.
After her husband's death, she was left with six small children, the youngest was Loyola who was 11 weeks old. Mary was 37 years of age and had only been married for 13 years. The store was later sold to Billy Fimmen and Mary lived off the proceeds of her share of the store. She also raised a big garden and canned the produce to feed her family through the year. Her strawberry and asparagus beds were huge and she sold the produce from these. She had chickens and a cow (Bessie) that the children helped to fee.
Mary's house was open to everyone. After her father died in 1908, her mother Elizabeth came to live with her. Loyola remembers her being there when she was a small child. Grandma sat in her rocking chair in the kitchen and read her German bible. She remained living with Mary until her death in 1930. Later, Mary's brother, Alvin, had a stroke and also came to live with her. He was able to help her with some of the chores. By this time some of the children had gotten jobs or moved to town.
She also rented rooms to the teachers who taught at the Catholic School in Dodgeville which was operated until 1931. When the new church was built in 1930, Mary fed the workers at noon. There was a man that helped with the construction of the Army Ordinance Plant and his family that lived there for a time in 1942. During the war some high school girls stayed at Mary's during the week to go to school at Sperry.
Mary's home became the gathering place each summer around the fourth of July for the annual Panther reunion. Panthers would come from far and wide for the Alois and Ferdinand families. The older grandchildren of Alois remember the picnics as do the ones that were born in the 1940s. The reunions may have started being held there when Grandma Panther went to make her home with Mary. The latest account we have of a reunion there was in 1955, which may have been one of the last since Mary passed away in 1961.
Mary was very devoted to her faith and her church. She walked to church every Sunday and almost always sat in the 4th pew. Part of her donation to the church was washing the Altar linens and cleaning the church. She also worked with the other ladies of the parish at Thanksgiving, Labor Day and at other functions preparing and serving the food for the dinners that the church had. Her sister, Veronica, had also come to live with her when she was a young girl. After she had moved to Burlington to care for the Walter Rheinschmidt family, she returned for the weekend to play the organ every Sunday at Mass.
Mary's children and grandchildren always looke dforward coming to Grandma Vorwerk's for Sunday dinners and for visits in the summer. Her daughter, Loyola and granddaughter, Anita, were there almost every Sunday after Mass for breakfast. Loyola would bring Anita to religion classes on Saturday morning and pick her up after Mass on Sunday morning. Some time int he 1950s, Mary's nephew, Howard Panther came to live with her for a time. When Anita was a teenager she cleaned Mary's house on weekends. this is when she found boxes of pictures that had been given to her grandmother over the yeras from all the relatives who had attended the reunions. Anita put these pictures in a scrapbook and with the help of Mary, Veronica and many relatives, compiled a collection of 240 labeled pictures that has helped make this book possible. Her daughter Mary Elizabeth also kep scrapbooks of news clippings of all the relatives that also has been an immense help.
In the summer of 1960 Mary had some strokes and hardening of the arteries and had to go to live with her oldest daughter, Mary Elizabeth. In January of 1961 she entered St. Francis Care Center because her health had worsened and needed more nursing care.
On the morning of February 26, 1961 she slept away, her death was very peaceful, the type of death she had prayed for.


John Sylvester Vorwerk [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 31 Jan 1885 in ,, Iowa. He died on 4 Jan 1949. He was buried in Bloomington Township, Muscatine, Iowa. He married Anna Margaret Panther on 29 Jun 1908.

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Bloomington Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
His headstone reads Vorwerk, John S.; 1885; 1949

He appeared on the census in 1900 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: John Sylvester Vorreck, son, white, male, born June 1885, age 15, single, born in Iowa, father born in Germany, mother born in Iowa, occupation farm laborer, attended school during census year for 4 months, could read, could write, could speak English

From the Panther Reunion book 2001:
Mr. Vorwerk was an excellent augo mechanic and earned a living for his family by operating Vorwerk's garage which as located near Fimmin's general store in Dodgeville.

After the 1929 stock market crash the economy went into a nosedive and the auto mechanic business was not adequate to support the family. John was looking for greener pastures and moved the family to Muscatine, Iowa. He found work as an auto mechanic until the depression became very bad. In the early 30's he was lucky to find a good job for some time working on construction, building the Mississippi river dam No. 16 at Muscatine.

Anna Margaret Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] "Ann" was born on 9 Feb 1885 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She was christened on 19 Feb 1885 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She died on 5 Oct 1967 in Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa. She was buried in Bloomington Township, Des Moines, Iowa. She married John Sylvester Vorwerk on 29 Jun 1908.

Obituary:
Mrs. Anna M. Vorwerk
Funeral services for Mrs. Anna M. Vorwerk, 82, were held at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's church.
Pallbearers were six grandsons: Charles Anson Jr., Daniel Anson, Gary Anson, Tom Bankhead, Richard Griffith and John Griffith.
The Ralph J. Wittich funeral home was in charge of arrangements. Interment was at St. Mary's cemetery.
Mrs. Vorwerk died Thursday afternoon at Muscatine General Hospital.

She appeared on the census in 1895 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Annie Panther, age 10, born in Des Moines County, Iowa, white

She appeared on the census in 1900 in Franklin Township, Des Mounes County, Iowa. The information listed was: In the household of Robert Allan. Panther, Ann, Servant, White, Femail, Birthdate Jan 1884, 16 years old, single.

Her headstone reads Vorwerk, Anna M.; 1885; 1967

Her Social Security information was: Anna Vorwerk; born: 9 February 1885; died: October 1967; last residence: 52761 (Muscatine, Muscatine, IA); last benefit: (none specified); state where issued: Iowa

Buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa

From the Panther Reunion book 2001:
(written by Steve Vorwerk)
Anna was raised and educated in the Dodgeville area and as a young unmarried lady she was employed as a hired girl by the Horace Miller family on their fine farm. One of her fondest memories was the trip she made to the World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri.

This young lady loved to sing in the church choir at St. Mary's of Dodgeville.

Anna was a housewife all her life and enjoyed her role as wife and mother. She was a fine cook and kept a nice home. During this period she also made many of the clothes the children wore, even one of her daughter's wedding dresses. Anna always loved to work in her gardens and this helped very much to supplement the food supply at times. In her later years she kept a very large garden and supplied many neighbors with produce and flowers all summer long. At Straberry time she would always let the kids dip their berries in the sugar bowl.

After John passed away, Anna lived her later years in her own modest home with her second son, Daniel. On October 2, 1967, Anna suffered a severe stroke and was hospitalized. During the next three days she was visited by all of her children and most of the many grandchildren before passing.


Aloys Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 21 Jun 1837 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He died on 6 Jun 1908 in Mount Pleasant, Henry, Iowa. He was buried in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa. He married Monika Hanle on 12 Oct 1868 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany.

Other marriages:
Donzinger, Elizabeth Julia

Aloysius came to America on the steam ship Hannover.

The steamship Hannover, the first of four vessels of this name owned by Norddeutscher Lloyd, was built by Caird and Co., Greenock, Scotland (yard #152), and was launched on 28 July 1869. 2571 tons; 94.83 X 12.05 meters; clipper bow, 1 funnel, 2 masts; iron construction, screw propulsion, single-expansion, low-pressure engine, 930 hp, service speed 10 knots; accommodation for 62 passengers in 1st class and 700 in steerage; crew of 61 to 79.

The Hannover was intended for Norddeutscher Lloyd's New Orleans service
October 1869, maiden voyage, Bremen-New Orleans
19 May 1870, first voyage, Bream-New York
23 July-27 October 1870, laid up at New York during the Franco-Prussian War
1871-1874 primarily New Orleans service, but 4 round-trip voyages Bream-New York and 4 round-trip voyates Bremen-West Indies. Then engaged as needed on all North Atlantic services
15 July 1880, last voyage, Bremen-New York
1880-81, compound engine by A.G. Vulcan, Stettin; 1275 hp, service speed 11-12 knots, 25 July 1881, first voyage, Bremen-South America
12 October 1881, last voyage, Bremen-Baltimore; subsequently exclusively Bremen-South America
10 December 1886, off the coast of Spain, rescued the 13-man crew of the sunken British steamer Ethel Wolf
5 June 1894, sold to La Spezia for scrap; renamed Tito for the voyage out.

Sources: Arnold Kludas, Die Seeschiffe des Norddeutschen Lloyd, Bd. 1: 1857 bis 1919 (Herford: Koehler, c1991), p. 20; Edwin Drechsel, Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen, 1857-1970; History, Fleet, Ship Mails, vol. 1 (Vancouver: Cordillera Pub. Co., c1994), p. 52, no. 26; Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 2 (1978), p. 547.

Baden Baden Germany is near the Black Forest and close to the French border. His parents were of German and French ancestry (Alsatian).

They immigrated to the United States, sailing on the SS Hannover from Breman, Germany. They left their village of Mösbach September 14, 1872 and arrived October 12, 1872 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Master of the ship had the last name of Himbeck. Alois, Monika and Maurice were passenger number 606, 607 & 608. There were 725 passengers listed. Four died during the voyage. There were 380 Germans, 103 Americans, 132 Austrians, 68 French, 27 Swiss and 19 Alsatian. At the time of the voyage, Aloysius was 35 years old, Monika 30 and Maurice 3.

They lived in New Orleans for one year. During this time, their second child, Frank, was born. They came to Des Moines County via the Mississippi and settled in the Sperry-Dodgeville area, probably near his brother Ferdinand. Their third son, Joseph was born there.

After Monika's death, he married Elizabeth Dunzinger.

Alois and Elizabeth were farmers. They were very active in their faith and attended St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dodgeville faithfully. They raised their children to love and serve their God and care for their neighbors. Many of their children sang in the choir and their daughter Veronica played the organ. The boys were among the parishioners that helped to build the new church in 1901.

After Aloysius passed away May 5, 1908, Elizabeth made her home with her daughter, Mary Ann, in Dodgeville.

From http://www.brumm.com/familytrees/21695.htm:

Noted events in his life were:

• Census, 1880, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. Name, Relation, Marital Status, Gender, Race, Age, Birthplace, Occupation, Father's Birthplace, Mother's Birthplace

Aaron PONDER, Self, M, Male, W, 42, BADEN, Farmer, BADEN, BADEN
Elisabeth PONDER, Wife, M, Female, W, 26, NY, Keeping House, BIAN, BIAN
Morris PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 10, BADEN, , BADEN, BADEN
Frank PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 7, LA, , BADEN, BADEN
Joseph PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 5, IA, , BADEN, BADEN
Lenard PONDER, Son, S, Male, W, 1, IA, , BADEN, BADEN

• Census, 1895, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. 2 Frank Panther, age 21, born in New Orleans Louisiana, white
Alvis Panther, age 59, born in Germany, white
Elizabeth Panther, age 40, born in New York, white
Lenard Panther, age 16, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Alvin Panther, age 14, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Mary Panther, age 12, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Annie Panther, age 10, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Edward Panther, age 8, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
George Panther, age 6, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white
Benedict Panther, age 2, born in Des Moines County Iowa, white

LDS shows his death date as June 6, 1908

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa

The website for the music organization of Mosbach, Baden, Germany:
http://www.musikverein-moesbach.de/?Chronik:Wie_alles_begann...
lists the following entry:

25. Mai 1861: offiziellen Gründung einer Blasmusik
Unter der Führung des Schreiners Wendelin Bürck schlossen sich die Bläser Andreas Bürk, August Traub, Blasius Bürk, Christian Bohnert, Gabriel Schott, Moritz Weber, Konrad Rummel, Fabian Streck, Alexander Sutterer, Alois Panther, Daniel Bürk, Wendelin Bürk und Anton Klumpp zusammen.

Translated from the original German:

25. May 1861: the official establishment of a brass band
Under the leadership of the carpenter Wendelin Bürck joined the horns Andreas Bürk, August Traub, Blasius Bürk, Christian Bohnert, Gabriel Schott, Moritz Weber, Konrad Rummel, Fabian Stretch, Alexander Sutter, Alois Panther, Daniel Bürk, Wendelin Bürk and Anton Klumpp together.

Monika Hanle [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 28 Aug 1842 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. She died on 5 Jan 1877 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. She was buried in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa. She married Aloys Panther on 12 Oct 1868 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany.

Her son Joseph's obituary lists her name as Veronica Haller.

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa

They had the following children:

  M i Maurice J. Panther was born on 4 Sep 1869. He died on 25 Oct 1951.
  M ii Franz Xaver Panther [scrapbook] was born on 30 Nov 1870 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He was christened on 3 Dec 1870 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He died on 6 Dec 1870 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He was buried on 9 Dec 1870 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany.
  M iii Ferdinand Panther [scrapbook] was born on 9 Apr 1872 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He died on 13 Aug 1872 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He was buried on 15 Aug 1872 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany.
  M iv Frank Ignatius Panther was born on 4 Jul 1873. He died on 27 Jul 1964.
  M v Joseph A. Panther was born on 22 Jan 1875. He died on 29 Oct 1945.

Maurice J. Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 4 Sep 1869 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He was christened on 5 Sep 1869 in Mösbach, Baden, Germany. He died on 25 Oct 1951. He was buried in Davenport,, Iowa. He married Mary Frances McCarty on 25 Apr 1900 in Dodgeville, Des Moines, Iowa.

The Panther Reunion book, June 30, 2001 shows his birth location as Baden, Germany.

"A Short Account of a Large Life"
by Herbert Panther
Written sometime between 1997 and 2001

Maurice J. Panther was born in the Grand Dutchy of Baden Germany on September 4, 1869. He was the son of Alois and Monica Hanle Panther, and was brought to the United States at the age of three. They sailed from Bremen, Germany (date not clear) on S. S. Hannover and arrived New Orleans October 12, 1873.
The passenger list showed:
Alois Panther, age 35
Monica Panther, age 30
Mritz Panther, age 3

After a year in New Orleans, the family moved to Iowa, settling in the Sperry area. Much to my regret I have no knowledge of his early life, where he went to school, the work he did, and the like.

Maurice married Mary Frances McCarty on April 25, 1900, at 9:30am, St. Mary's Church, Dodgeville, Iowa. Their children are Hugh (1901), Leo (1903), Lawrence (1907), Everett (1915), all of whom are deceased, and Herb (1912), who is writing this much too short account of an honorable life.

Shortly after Hugh's birth his parents bought a farm about three miles south of Dodgeville on the Iowa City Road. It was here that their four other children were born.

From About 1901 or 1902 when the moved to this farm, until they quit farming at the close of 1923, the lines of farming varied as time passed until the lasts few years when feeding out cattle and hogs became predominate. During the whole time farming was a labor intensive occupation requiring long hours and many skills of both the man and the woman. Unlike my older brothers who did real work, my farming consisted of "laying by" corn in 1923. This was the fourth tilling to uproot the weeds. This gave me a sense of importance quite unrelated to the work. Nevertheless, I'll always remember a conversation at Fimmon & Graham General Store in Dodgeville relating thereto. I was with Dad on a short shopping task when a neighbor asked him when the corn plowing would be finished. Dad, who knew it was virtually completed, turned to me and asked "Herb, when do you think you'll finish?" What a rush of pride, to be consulted on a matter of maly work. It was years later that I realized what a wise and gracious father he was to ask the question.

I shall also never forget the evening in the FAll of 1922 or early the following Spring. After supper we were still in the kitchen when Dad and Mom got to talking about farming. I cannot remember what was said other than near the end they agreed to quit farming. From then on planning proceeded to the point on Tuesday, December 18, 1923, at 10 o'clock in the morning, livestock and equipment were offered for sale by auction.

It so happened that December 18 was unusually warm and sunny, especially for Iowa. As a consequence the sale was well attended and quite successful. It was an indication of Dad's skill in predicting weather since he had selected that date weeks before the sale.

The farm had been rented to a neighbor who took possession within a day or so, and Dad, Mom, and Ev were off to Davenport leaving Lawrence and me with Grandma McCarty while we finished the school year.

In Davenport Dad had several jobs, most of them in construction. For a period early on he had his own small company doing mostly concrete work. Among the jobs was the walk in front of his residence at 615 East 15th Street. That walk (circa 1915) still existed as late as 1997, my last visit there. It was customary at the time the work was done to impress the name of the contractor in the concrete. There it was "Panther Const. Co.," the concrete as sturdy and ugly as ever.

Years ago I asked Dad why his concrete was so ugly as compared to that of other contractors. He explained that the others were over-finishing the concrete thereby drawing too much of the cement to the surface, away from the aggregate and weakening the product. He said his concrete was superior and would last longer. It certainly has.

There was not a time, including the dark days of the depression, that Maurice Panther was unemployed. His skill and honest work were the hallmarks of his life.

This little piece cannot end without noting that he was a loyal husband to a loyal wife, and together they were loving parents to their children. May they rest in peace.

Maurice J. Panther - September 4, 1869 - October 25, 1951
Mary Frances McCarty Panther - October 31, 1874 - July 17, 1956
Written by Maurice's second to youngest son -- Herb Panther

Buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Davenport, Iowa

Obituary:
October 26, 1951
The Panther Funeral
Funeral services for Maurice Panther, 82 or R. R. No. 1, Middle road, Davenport, who died Thursday in his home following an illness of one year, will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Halligan funeral home. A requiem high mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday in Our Lady of Lourdes church, Bettendorf. The rosary will be recited at 7:30 tonight in the funeral home.
He was born in Baden, Germany, Sept. 4, 1859 and came to America 79 years ago. He had resided in Davenpot 27 years. Mr. Panther had engaged in farming the greater part of his life. He married Mary McCarthy April 25, 1900 in Dodgeville, Iowa.
Survivors include his wife, four sons, Hugh, Chicago; Leo, Davenport; Herbert, Arlington, Va., and Everett Panther, Davenport, 10 grandchildren, five brothers, Frank, Mt. Pleasant; Leonard, Davenport; Edward, Cedar Falls, Ia.; Alvin, Sperry, Ia., and Ben Panther of donnellson, Ia.; three sisters, Mrs. Mary Vorwerk, Sperry, Ia.; Mrs. Anna Vorwerk, Muscatine, and Miss Veronica Panther, Burlington. A son, Lawrence, died in 1945.

Mary Frances McCarty [scrapbook] was born on 31 Oct 1874 in ,, Iowa. She died on 17 Jul 1956 in Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa. The cause of death was Heart Attack. She was buried in Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa. She married Maurice J. Panther on 25 Apr 1900 in Dodgeville, Des Moines, Iowa.

Mary suffered a heart a attack while attending a funeral in Burlington, Iowa.
Buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Davenport, Iowa


Frank Ignatius Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 4 Jul 1873 in New Orleans,, Louisiana. He died on 27 Jul 1964 in Mount Pleasant, Henry, Iowa. He was buried on 29 Jul 1964 in Mount Pleasant, Henry, Iowa. He married Frances Christina Beckman on 9 Feb 1894 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa.

Written by Mary Ann Fitzpatrick Messer
Granddaughter of Francis Beckman and Frank E. Panther.

Frank E. Panther was the second child born to Monika and Alois Panther July 4, 1873 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Frank's tombstone lists his middle initial as E. however some geneology information also lists his middle name as Ignatius.) Alois and Monika had sailed from Germany with their son Maurice "Morris". Family history handed down says he was born the day after his parents arrived from Germany. Imagine traveling pregnant across the ocean in those days! They came to Des Moines County, Iowa and settled near Dodgeville where another son, Joseph was born in 1875. Alois' older brother, Ferdinand, had settled there earlier. Frank's mother Monika died 1-05-1877 at the age of 35. Alois then married Elizabeth Dunzinger 10-22-1877 who had come to Burlington from New York with her parents after the death of her parents. Alois and Elizabeth had eight children, giving Frank 8 half brothers and sisters.

Frank married Frances Christina Beckman, the 9th child of Theodore and Bernadine Nieman Beckman February 9, 1904, at the age of 30. Frances aka Fanny was 29. She was close to her brother Theodore who was 4 years older. In fact she and Teddy took care of their parents in their later years. She was described as a soft-spoken mild-mannered woman.

It is written in her brother-in-law's diary (Frank J. Vorwerk who married Mary Ann Beckman) that Fanny and Teddy Jr. were members of the St. Mary's church choir --"maybe of good material but not trained, all did the best they could. Whoever does all he can is worthy to live. Miss Fanny Beckman made it her business to keep everything in the church in good shape. She was really an expert for making flowers and decoration in the church."

She no doubt knew Frank since he lived in the Dodgeville community and perhaps he and his brothers helped with the Beckman farming. They continued to live in the home place with her parents for several years and two of their six children wre born there, Bernadine Theodora and Leona Anna. It is interesting to note their first child was named after Fanny's parents and their next child was given the middle name Anna, after Fanny's sister, the only one of Bernadina and Theodore's children to remain single.

After these two children wre born they moved to Lee County near West Point, Iowa. The farm and home is located on highway 218, the first home on the west side of the highway south of the West Point turnoff. It has always been understood by the Frank Panther desendants that this was a farm which Fanny's father Theodore purchased for them. Fanny's father was a successful California Gold Rusher and was able to help his children purchase farmland. Another daughter, Mary Genevieve and three boys were born, Joseph Aloysius (6-11-1911), Francis Henry (1-14-1914) and Adrian Benedict (1-17-1917). Fanny had plans that the farm would be the means to be able to afford educating her children, but the farm was lost when allowing one of Frank's brothers to use it as collateral on a loan. The farm was then owned by Benedict Panther, a half-brother to Frank who also lost the farm in the 1930's but continued to rent and then purchased the farm later. The farm stayed in the Ben Panther family, handed down to Urban Panther, Ben's oldest son and Frank and Fanny's nephew, then to Joe Panther, Urban's son.

The family moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa purchasing a dairy on the East edge of town named appropriately East End Dairy. The children were all part of the operation requiring them to get up early to milk the cows and coming straight home after school as well. It is suspected Joe and Adrian enjoyed their success as track stars at Iowa Weslyan College in Mt. Pleasant from the training they received running the mil from the delivery truck to the customers door and back in quick fashion.

The deep faith rooted in the Beckman's and Panther's of Dodgeville stayed with Fanny and Frank as they moved, in their retirement years, to a small home across from St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Mt. Pleasant, 606 South Jackson. Fanny and Frank attended daily mass and fanny was known to make several additional visits each day. This home was in the family until 2001. St. Alphonsus Catholic Church purchased the property upon the death of Mary Genevieve. Fanny had a deep devotion and believed if you made the first Saturdays you would go to heaven the Saturday after you died. Fanny died on Saturday, Chrismas Day, December 25, 1948, her family felt she surely went straight to heaven since she died on a Saturday.

Fanny was 74 and her 20 grandchildren were very young or yet to be born at the time of her death. Three grandsons tragically lost their lives. Once grandson, Michael Donaled O'Conner was killed in combat June 22, 1967, the first Henry County veteran tolose his life in the Viet Nam war. Another grandson, Michael Panther, son of Fritz was killed by a drunk driver in 1985 at the age of 31. Neil Panther, Joe's son, died in 1986 five years after becoming critically ill in 1981 resulting in brain injury.

Frank lived to the age of 91. His last few years required nursing home care but until that time was cared for by his daughter Bernadine who remained single. Bernadine enjoyed bridge and was a bookkeeper for her brother Joe at Panther Rexall Drug. She prided herself in keeping the Hallmark cards stocked because she cared and customers cared "to send the very best". Frank's remaining children married and had families. They wre all faithful and their lives were exemplary of living their lives for the honor and glory of God. They all were caretakers for their families. Leona built a duplex near St. Alphonsus so she could attend daily mass. This duplex provided a home for her, her sister, Bernadine and Leona's sister-in-law, Marie Fitzpatrick. Joe and Agnes Panther raised their family on South White street in Mt. Pleasant one block from St. Alphonsus. Joe and Agnes sponsored the education of seven men from India for the priesthood and over 20 women for the religious life. Fritz and Adreian moved to Iowa City, Iowa and owned an operated Hamburg Inn No. 1 and No. 2. Genevieve lived on a farm south of Mt. Pleaseant and upon her husband's death moved to 606 South Jackson, Frank and Fanny's home which she had earlier purchased from her sister Bernadine. She too was devoted to daily mass and was often seen making visits to St. Alphonsus across the street during the day. Adrian's wife Margaret had several strokes throught their married life. In her final ten years, Adrian required help with her care so he could continue his business at the shop, Hamburg Inn No. 1.

Frank and Fanny's youngest child, Adrian entered the first class of the Davenport Diocese Diaconate program and wa ordained a Deacon December 14, 19080. Their grandson, Fr. Edward Joseph Fitzpatrick was ordained a priest for the Davenport diocese Dec 18, 1970.

Obituary:
Mrs. Fitzpatrick's Father Dies in Mt. Pleasant

Frank E. Panther, 91, 606 S. Jackson, Mt. Pleasant, died MOnday at 12:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Nursing home in Mt. Pleasant.
Mrs. John Fitzpatrick of New London is one of six children who survive. Others are Bernadine at home, Mrs. Donald O'Connor, and Joseph A. Panther, Mt. Pleasant, Francis H. and Adrian B. Panther, both of Iowa City. Also surviving are 20 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, four brothers, Leonard Panther of Davenport, Ed Panther, Cedar Falls, Ben Panther, West Point, and Alvin Panther of Burlington, and a sister, Muscatine.
His wife, three brothers and two sisters are deceased.
Services were held Wendesday at 10 a.m. at St. Alphonsus church in Mt. Pleasant with burial in the church cemetery. The rosary was recited Tuesday night at 8 p.m. at the R. K. Crane Funeral home in Mt. Pleasant.


Buried in St. Alphonsus Cemetary, Mount Pleasant, Iowa

Frank is listed in the 1900 Census as a lodger in the Peter Weber household in Jefferson Township, Olwein City, Fayette County, Iowa. Occupation: Day laborer

Frances Christina Beckman [scrapbook] was born on 16 Feb 1874 in , Des Moines, Iowa. She died on 25 Dec 1948 in Mt. Pleasant, Henry, Iowa. She was buried in Mt. Pleasant, Henry, Iowa. She married Frank Ignatius Panther on 9 Feb 1894 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa.

Wedding Announcement:

Mr. And Mrs. Theodore Beckman, Sr.,
request the pleasure of your presence at the
marriage of their daughter
Frances
to
Frank E. Panther,
at Nine a. m. Tuesday, February Ninth,
Nineteen hundred and four
St. Mary's church, Dodgeville, Iowa

Reception at the Bride's
Residence. 2PM <2PM was hand-written>

She appeared on the census in 1880 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Fannie BECKMAN, Dau, S, Female, W, 6, IA, At School, WEST PALIA, ALTENBURG

Buried in St. Alphonsus Cemetery


Joseph A. Panther [Parents] [scrapbook] was born on 22 Jan 1875 in Dodgeville, Lee, Iowa. He died on 29 Oct 1945 in El Paso,, Illinois. He was buried in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa. He married Ameda Jennie Nelson on 22 Jan 1906.

He appeared on the census in 1880 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: Joseph PONDER, Son, S. Male, W, 5, IA,, BADEN, BADEN

He appeared in the census in 1900 in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. The information listed was: In the household of John Schulte, Panther, Joe, Servant, white, male, birthdate: Oct 1875, 24 years old, Single. Born in Iowa, father born in Iowa. Occupation: Farm Laborer

He appeared in the census in 1905 in his father's household. No detail in this census.

LDS shows his death date as Jan 29, 1945

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa

The lived on several farms in the Dodgeville area before moving to Muscatine, Iowa in about 1929. They later moved to Taylor Ridge, IL and then back to Muscatine in about 1935. Due to failing eyesight they had to leave the farm in 1938 and move to El Paso, IL where their son Ott (Carl Alois) had a farm implement business.

Obituary:

Joseph A. Panther Laid to Rest in Iowa

Joseph A. Panther, 70, passed away at his home at 7 p.m. Monday following a lengthy illness.
He was born January 22, 1875, the son of Alois and Veronica Haller Panther at Sperry, Ia. On January 22, 1906 he married Meda Nelson at West Burlington, Ia.
Mr. Panther is survived by his wife and seven children. Ott of El Paso, Cecil, Cedar Rapids, Ia.; Sgt. Maurice, on Luzon P.I.; corp Norman, Ft. Stevens, Mass.; now home on furlough; Mrs. Josephine Scott, Sperry, Ia.; Mrs. Helen Griffith, Silvis; and Mrs. Laura Barnhart, Conesville, Ia. Also surviving are nine brothers and sisters. Maurice, Houghton, Ia.; Frank, Mt. Pleasant, Ia.; leonard, Milan; Alvin, Sperry, Ia.; Ed of Cedar Falls, Ia.; Ben, West Point, Ia.; Mrs. Mary Vorwerk, Sperry, Ia.; Mrs. Anna Vorwerk, Muscatine, Ia.; and Miss Veronica Panther, Burlington, Ia. He was preceded in death by one son, Edward.
Mr. Panther's body was taken this noon to Dodgeville, Ia., where services will be held Friday morning.

Ameda Jennie Nelson [scrapbook] was born on 28 Nov 1883 in , Des Moines, Iowa. She died on 18 Feb 1953 in Muscatine,, Iowa. She was buried in Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa. She married Joseph A. Panther on 22 Jan 1906.

Buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery, Franklin Township, Des Moines, Iowa

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